Feed mechanism



Dec. 24, 1929. G. H. NEIDLINGER 1,741,033

FEED mscnmzsu Filed July 27, 1926 WITNESSES: IN VENT 0H Y 7Q M W W A TTOHNE Y8 Patented Dec. 24, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GEORGE H. NEIDLINGER, OF BLOOIMIEIELD, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO PEERLESS TUBE COMPANY, OF BLOOMFIELD, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY FEED MECHANISM Application filed July 27,

This invention has relation to feeding mechanisms and refers more particularly to a mechanism for feeding slugs or disks to a means for forming collapsible tubes therefrom.

An outstanding object of the present invention is to provide a mechanism for singly feeding and delivering to a suitable conveyer or chute, metal disks or slugs so that the same will be disposed in a predetermined position when received by the conveyer or chute.

A further object of the invention resides in the provision of a feeding mechanism, the elements of which may be readily disassembled to facilitate the adjustment thereof whereby the same will compensate for variation in the thickness and size of the slugs or disks.

The invention furthermore contemplates a feeding mechanism which is so constructed as to positively preclude marring, scratching, or otherwise defacing the slugs and which reduces to an absolute minimum the possibility of clogging or wedging of the slugs between the moving parts.

A further feature of the invention resides in the provision of a guard element for preventing the feeding of more than a single slug to the delivery chute.

The invention furthermore oomprehends a feeding mechanism which is extremely simple in its construction and mode of operation, which is comparatively inexpensive to produce and install, and which is highly eflicient in its purpose.

With the above recited and other objects in view, reference is had to the following specification and accompanying drawings, inv

which there is exhibited one example or embodiment of the invention, which is in no way intended as a limitation upon the scope of the appended claims as it is to be clearly understood that variations and modifications which properly fall within the scope of said claims may be resorted to when found expedient.

In the drawing Figure 1 is a sectional View through the feeding mechanism taken approximately on the line indicated at 1-1 in Fig. 2.

1926. Serial No. 125,319.

Fig. 2 is a sectional View taken approximately on the line indicated at 2-2 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken approximately on the line indicated at 3-3 in Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings by characters of reference 10 designates a stationary base which is preferably of circular formation and disposed slightly at an angle to the vertical, the same being provided with an axially projecting bearing boss 11 and adelivery passage 12. A spindle or shaft 13 extends through the base and is mounted for rotation in the bearing boss, the same having keyed or otherwise attached to its lower end a driving element 14 such as a pulley disposed exteriorly of the base and adapted to be suitably connected with an actuating mechanism, not shown. At its opposite end the spindle or shaft 13 has connected therewith for rotation a yoke 15, the free ends of the arms 16 of which are connected with an annulus 17 disposed in slightly spaced parallel relation to the upper or inner face of the base 10. A substantially frusto-conical hopper 18 has its lower enlarged end positioned over and secured to the outer periphery of the annulus, the upper reduced end of said hopper being opened to permit of the introduction thereto of the disks or slugs S. A guide trough 19 of channel shape in cross section is secured to the upper or inner face of the base 10 with its lower angularly disposed end 20 registering with the inner end of the delivery passage 12 and with its upper open end 21 in alignment with the inner periphery of the annulus 17. Arcuate guard flanges 22 protrude outwardly from the inner or upper face of the base 10 and extend from the opposite sides of the upper open end 21 of the trough 19 to points below the axial center of the annulus. The inner periphery of the annulus is provided with circumferentially and equidistantly spaced substantially semi-circular feeding notches 23 which are each adapted upon rotation of the annulus and hopper to receive and carry a single slug upwardly for delivery through the trough 19 to the delivery passage 12, the guard flange 22 functioning to prevent displacement of the slugs from the feed notches until they reach the upper open end of the trough 19. Due to the fact that the annulus is of a thickness approximately equal to the thickness of the slugs or disks S and that the depth of the notches coincides with the diameter of the slugs, it is obvious that only a single slug can be picked up by the feed notches and that-the same of necessity must be delivered in a predetermined position to the trough and feed passage. The lower end of the feed passage 12 has connected and communicating therewith a conveyor chute 2% which leads to the form-- ing means.

In order torender the hopper and annulus readily detachable to substitute annuluses of various thicknesses and having feeding notches of varying sizes to coincide with slugs of different thicknesses and sizes, the yoke 15 is detachably maintained in place by a nut 25 threaded on the upper end of the spindle or shaft 13, to which access may be readily gained through the upper open end of the hopper. When the hopper and annulus are removed, the trough 19 which is also detachably secured in place by a screw or other fastening element 26 is readily accessible for replacement.

In use and operation a quantity of slugs or disks S are introduced to the hopper through its upper open end; the hopper and annulus are rotated through the spindle connected with the yoke, the rotation of the hopper together with the yoke arm 16 serving to agitate the slugs. The slugs are singly picked up by the notches 23 and carried to the upper open end of the trough 19 where they are gravitationally fed therethrough successively to the feed passage 12 and conveyor chute 24. This insures a positive feeding of the slugs in a predetermined position to the forming means, while precluding the possi- "bility of marring, scratching or defacing of the slugs or clogging of the'moving parts of the mechanism.

WVhat 1s clanned 1s:

1. A mechanism for feeding slugs or disks to a delivering chute, comprising an inclined hopper adapted to receive a supply of said disks or slugs, the hopper including a substantially frusto-conical rotatable body, a

stationary base disposed over and constitut ing a'bottoin wall for the lower enlarged end of the hopper, said base having a delivery passage extending therethrough communicating with the delivering chute, an annulus I arranged within and'connccted to the lower end of the hopper body for rotation therewith, said annulus being disposed in closely spaced parallel relation to the inner and upper face of the base and having circumferentially spaced substantially semi-circular feeding notches in its inner periphery, an

' axial bearing boss extending inwardly from the base, a spindle extending through the base around the inner periphery of the annulus to a point below the axial center whereby the slugs picked up by the feed notches are maintained within the same by said guard means until they are gravitationally discharged therefrom into the upper open end of the trough for gravitational feeding therethrough and through the delivery passage to the chute.

2. In a feeding mechanism of the char-535 acter set forth, an angularly disposed hopper including a rotatable substantially frusto-conical hopper body, a stationary base directly overlying the lower end of the hopper body to constitute a bottom wall there-2 for, said base having a delivery passage eccentric thereof and adjacent the lower portion, an axial bearing boss projecting inwardly of the hopper from the base, an annulus disposed within and connected to the lower;

end of the hopper .body, having its lower face in closely spaced relation to the upper inner face of the base, said annulus having a plurality of circumferentially spaced feeding notches formed on the inner periphery, a driven spindle extending through the base and bearing boss, a yoke connected with the annulus, having a detachable driving connectien with the inner end of the spindle, a

trough attached to the inner upper face of the i base, communicating at its lower end with the delivery passage and having its upper open end arranged in close proximity to the inner periphery of the annulus, and guard fingers on the inner upper face of the base extending from opposite sides of the trough around and within the inner periphery of the annulus to a point below the axial center, whereby upon rotation of the hopper and annulus, the elements to be fed, which are ar-' ranged within the hopper body, are singly picked up by the feeding notches and conveyed upwardly to the trough where they are gravitationally fed therethrough and through the delivery passage to the chute.

3. In a feeding mechanism of the character set forth, an angularly disposed hopper including a rotatable substantially frusto-conical hopperbody,a stationary base directly underlyingthe lowerend of the hopper body to constitute a bottom wall therefor, said base having adelivery passage eccentric thereof and adjacent the lower portion, an axial bearing boss projecting inwardly of the hopper from the base, an'annulus disposed within and connected to the lower end of the hopper body, having its lower face in closely spaced relation to the upper inner face of the base, said annulus having a plurality of circumferentially spaced feeding notches formed 011 the inner periphery, a driven spindle extending through the base and bearing boss, a yoke connected with the annulus, having a detachable driving connection with the inner end of the spindle, a trough attached to the inner upper face of the base, communicating at its lower end with the delivery passage and having its upper open end arranged in close proximity to the inner periphery of the annu- Ins, and guard flanges on the inner upper face of thebase, extendin from opposite sides of the trough around and within the inner periphery of the annulus to a point below the axial center, whereby upon rotation of the hopper and annulus, the elements to be fed, which are arranged within the hopper body, are singly picked up by the feeding notches and conveyed upwardly to the trough where they are gravitationally fed therethrough and through the delivery passage to the chute, the upper open end of the hopper constituting means for introducing the elements to be fed therethrough, and means for gainingaccess to the means for connecting the spindle with the yoke, whereby disconnection thereof may be efiected for disassembling the device.

GEORGE H. NEIDLINGER. 

